Question

Which of the following is the likely reason for the highly elliptical orbit of comets that enter the inner solar system?

a. their orbit was established during the formation stages of our solar system as a result of either planetoid migration or coformation.
b. they are kuiper belt objects that are diverted in their path by gravity assists.
c. they are formed in the asteroid belt and are diverted in their path by gravity assists from jupiter.
d. the comet's tail causes an acceleration which lengthens the semi-major axis of the comet's elliptical orbit.
e. they are extrasolar objects that have been caught in the sun's gravity.

Answer 1

The highly elliptical orbit of comets that enter the inner solar system is primarily due to gravitational interactions with the outer planets or distant triggers like passing stars, leading them to be diverted from regions such as the Kuiper belt or the Oort cloud. This is in line with solar system formation theories and Kepler's laws of motion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The highly elliptical orbit of comets entering the inner solar system is likely due to several reasons based on the theories of solar system formation and dynamics. The most probable reason is that these comets are diverted toward the Sun by gravitational interactions with the outer planets. This usually involves comets that originated from two main regions: the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud.

Comets from the Kuiper belt can be influenced by the gravity of Neptune, which shifts their orbits over time, allowing them to eventually enter the inner solar system. Meanwhile, the Oort cloud, which is a distant spherical shell of icy bodies surrounding the Sun, can also provide long-period comets that are occasionally nudged into orbits that take them closer to the Sun, potentially by passing stars or galactic tides.

When a comet gets closer to the Sun, it travels faster due to Kepler's second law of planetary motion, which states that a comet will sweep out equal areas in equal times. This means a comet accelerates as it approaches the Sun and decelerates as it moves away. Given this information, the correct answer to the question about the reason for the highly elliptical orbits of comets would be option A, which states that their orbits were established during the formation stages of our solar system as a result of interactions like planetoid migration or coformation.